Bruins Fortify Goaltending Depth In Wake Of Swayman Developments

While their negotiations with top goaltender and restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman have hit a rough patch (to say the least), the Boston Bruins have hedged their bets by fortifying their goaltending depth on Wednesday, claiming Jiri Patera off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks.

The #bruins have claimed goalie Jiri Patera off waivers from Vancouver.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 2, 2024

The 25-year-old Patera had been an insurance policy in Vancouver as well, signing a two-year, two-way deal on July 1st, but with the Canucks' recent signing of UFA Kevin Lankinen, Patera became a bit redundant.

The Bruins, meanwhile, appear to be heading into the regular season with Joonas Korpisalo and Brandon Bussi as their netminding tandem, with Swayman still unsigned, and the two sides at odds.

Patera adds some backup depth for the B's. He played largely for the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights last season, going 11-10-4 with a 2.99 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. In six games with the Vegas Golden Knights, he posted a 3.98 GAA and .893 Sv%. He was a 6th round pick of the Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Draft.